Food Safety and Security, Foodborne Illness and Causes

- Food Safety and Security

Food safety, nutrition and food security are inextricably linked. Food safety and food security are different concepts. Food safety refers to the absence of physical, chemical and microbiological hazards in food. Food security refers to the stable and sufficient supply of food.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 600 million people (almost 1 in 10 people in the world) fall ill each year from eating contaminated food, and 420,000 people die each year, resulting in a loss of 3 million years of healthy life (DALYs). 

Unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries costs USD 110 billion a year in lost productivity and lost healthcare costs. Children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the foodborne disease burden, killing 125 000 people each year. 

- Food Borne Illness and Causes

Food can transmit pathogens that can make people or other animals sick or die. The main types of pathogens are bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Food can also serve as a growth and reproduction medium for pathogens. Foodborne illness impedes socioeconomic development by disciplining healthcare systems and harming national economies, tourism and trade.

In developed countries, there are complex food preparation standards, while in less developed countries, there are fewer standards and less enforcement. Even so, in the United States, 5,000 people died each year from foodborne pathogens in 1999. Another major issue is access to enough safe water, which is often a key factor in the spread of disease. In theory, food poisoning is 100% preventable. 

However, this is not possible due to the number of people involved in the supply chain and the fact that pathogens can be introduced into food no matter how many precautions are taken.

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